Going Green: Recycling companies changing recycling process
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The familiar blue bin won't be decorating as many curbsides as recycling companies change the collection process.
As recycling companies switch to a single stream, where the items are sorted and separated after they reach the plant, it offers a way make the collection process more efficient and save money.
“We're going to a single-stream system operation, which means everything can be thrown in the tote and people won't have to do any curbside sorting that slows the process down. We're going to a tote system rather than a bin system, a 64 gallon tote,” said Steve Stepniak, Buffalo DPW Commissioner.
The tote is similar to the regular garbage container now used by Buffalo but that's a 95 gallon container.
“We would love to, someday, use the 95 gallon container for recycling and the 64 gallon container for garbage. We would love to do that and it's happened in other communities. Everybody that's switched to the tote seems to increase their recycling volume because it makes it easier to recycle. We get a lot complains that recycling items are blown out of the bin on windy days so we believe the tote will minimize a lot of that and encourage people to recycle a bit more,” said Stepniak.
The 64 gallon tote gives people more room for recyclables, enough room so Buffalo can switch pick-ups from every week to every other week saving on fuel and labor reducing their recycling costs by more than a half million dollars a year and there's still a use for the blue bins.
“You'll be able to keep your bin and use it indoors to collect the recycle items and then as it fills, transfer the items to the tote and put the empty bin back in the hallway,” said Stepniak.
The switch from the blue bin to the tote and the biweekly collection system will be accompanied by an education campaign to encourage more recycling.
About Going Green:
Going Green is produced in cooperation with the College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Learn more about SUNY ESF by visiting their website, esf.edu.